Tracers - any easy way to have em look more realistic?

[Winger]

My suggestion on that would be to just make the tracers on their back more transparent. Currently they do look like a "lasersword" or laserblast. I think that would greatly improve if they would only become more transparent on the end that points towards where are they shot off from.

Winger

[Ze-Jamz]

im sure its in the works mate or on their things to do list though alot more things need to be done first me thinks

[Dano]

I've been on this ride before, it made me feel sick so I'm just gonna stand here and grab a box of popcorn while you all enjoy yourselves :)

[scissorss]

I've been on this ride before, it made me feel sick so I'm just gonna stand here and grab a box of popcorn while you all enjoy yourselves :)

+1

[Eklund89]

Lets see how this one escalates. It might be a funny one.

+1 @ popcorn

[Redroach]

Okay, I'll start the show:
What exactly is wrong with tracers? Should they really visibly *blur out* while traveling in excess of 600m/s? The way it is looks fine to me. Judging from video, of course, as I'm not a citizen of the united states of gunfire and don't have access to medium-to-large-caliber tracers (nor do I want to).

[TeeJay82]

Zomg, Again :O

[SsSsSsSsSnake]

i prefer the way the WOP ones look :)

[ATAG_Bliss]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Tracer_fire_at_MCB_Camp_Pendleton_DM-ST-89-00210.jpg/800px-Tracer_fire_at_MCB_Camp_Pendleton_DM-ST-89-00210.jpg


























































http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo110/MrPacMan36/MrAwesomeBigger.png

Dano, scissorss, Eklund and Tjay.

This post is for you :)

[Dano]

i prefer the way the WOP ones look :)

I have to agree, though that is from a purely asthetical viewpoint and irrespective of any reality.

Dammit, did I run out of popcorn already?!?! Get your own ya thieves!!!

[SsSsSsSsSnake]

lol i knew you wouldnt be able to resist Dano:)

[whoarmongar]

I know in a recent Arma2 update they made tracers only visible from behind ie from where they were shot so it is possible. However at the moment I would keep them as they are as its the only way to discover your under fire in multiplayer, coz you sure dont hear anything.

[janpitor]

I know in a recent Arma2 update they made tracers only visible from behind ie from where they were shot so it is possible. However at the moment I would keep them as they are as its the only way to discover your under fire in multiplayer, coz you sure dont hear anything.

Unless the oponent uses no tracers...i think this will be the way to go in multiplayer

[Macka]

OMFG....not again!!!! I haven't chimed in on this in the previous 14 threads but I cant stand it any longer. I have to say something this time and I have kept this quiet but....in real life I am a tracer. So I know what I am talking about. I come from a long line of tracers. My grandfather was an oerlikon tracer in the Second World tracer war on the German side and my grandmother was on the British side, thats how they actually met but thats another story. Anyhow your all correct. In any family you have all different sizes and shapes. My Dad was pretty fat and slow (was fired from Janes back in the day), mum was slight and fast an very colourful due to her great fashion sense (she actually used to work as a consultant on the first IL2 series). My brother is always drunk and is fat and wiggly and got a job with WOP. I'm razor sharp with a quit wit over at eagle dynamics and my sister is....well we dont talk much about her she is an oilerkin vaccum now and just sucks....she's a sl*t. So there....we can be whatever you want (my son wants to go to Hollywood and work for George Lucas when he grows up).
I need another bourbon....bye

[SsSsSsSsSnake]

lol

[phoenix1963]

If the il2 tracer chasers are complaining, it must be better that they can`t be seen from afar.

56RAF_phoenix

[Redroach]

My grandfather was an oerlikon tracer in the Second World tracer war on the German side and my grandmother was on the British side, thats how they actually met but thats another story.

I hate to ask you about that, but I need to know... it did hurt the first time, didn't it?

[Macka]

I heard it was like fireworks!! :)

[Blackdog_kt]

This has been done to death and as such i can understand people poking fun. On the other hand, every question merits some valid input.

So, i'll keep it short in the interest of giving a valid answer without going over it in length for the umpteenth time.

From personal experience with 20mm AA cannons i can say there's just one slight departure from reality with CoD tracers. They are a bit too fat when they are close to the player's viewpoint.
As for what they do right, they appear short, almost like dots, when viewed from afar or behind and they appear as streaks when viewed from close up and sideways (eg, the rounds coming from wing guns are "streakier" than the rounds coming from cowl/nose mounted guns), which adequately simulates the optical illusion that occurs in real life.

I think there was some developer input on this where they acknowledged the "fat" issue and said it has something to do with limitations in the way they scale over distance. Maybe it's easier to have the current size varying over distance, that is, maybe making them thinner when viewed from close up would "break" how they long at long range, necessitating swapping of the graphics models at different ranges and so on, who knows?

They probably kept them this way for now because it's more useful from a gameplay perspective to be able to see them at medium/long range as they approach the target, rather than having them at the correct "width" when viewed close up only to be hard to see at the ranges they are supposed to be useful.

I guess it's one of the myriad of things that will improve over time, but i find them realistic enough and perfectly functional for the time being. Your mileage may vary of course. An easier option could be adding some transparency,especially around the edges. This is visible on biltongrbu's promotional videos and it makes them look much closer to reality.

[jf1981]

Hi

I noticed that they are not located at gun exit, they are located about in the middle height of the screen, e.g. when you lift up the head, the tracers are lifted up too.

[Winger]

i know there have been discussions. This was not intended to start a big discussion. Just a suggestion on how they could look better without big effort.

Winger

[Tiger27]

I know in a recent Arma2 update they made tracers only visible from behind ie from where they were shot so it is possible. However at the moment I would keep them as they are as its the only way to discover your under fire in multiplayer, coz you sure dont hear anything.

Yeh, I've noticed this, while at the same time, if I am in the Spit or Hurri, I can hear my hits on the enemy plane, I often look over to a wing to see its been shreaded without hearing a thing.

[jojimbo]

but i like the FB AEP modded wigglers :(, instead of the "Luthier Lightsabers" )

[Wolf_Rider]

here's a refresher for those who may have missed it previously, or just think people have a short memory span...


http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=21180&highlight=tracer

[Art-J]

Man, these tracer-threads are like zombies... they just won't f...kin' die, will they? Instead of "Dawn of the Dead" we've got "Dawn of the Thread" :D. Gotta learn to live with them peacefully, I guess...

Cheers!